Vulcan - Hosta

Hosta 'Vulcan' is a vigorous hosta with broad, heart-shaped leaves, a white center, yellow streaks, and dark green margins. Light lavender flowers rise above the foliage in midsummer to late summer, while the strongly patterned leaves brighten a shaded planting from spring into fall. ## Garden Use Use this medium-to-large selection as an accent, specimen, or repeated planting along a woodland border. Walters Gardens lists mature foliage about 22 inches tall and 36 inches wide, with flower scapes around 24 inches; its cultivar profile places it in USDA Zones 3–9. The upright flower stems and broad leaves add contrast among ferns and finer-textured shade plants. See the [Walters Gardens 'Vulcan' profile](https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=HSVUL) for selection-specific details. ## Growing Conditions Part to full shade suits the cultivar; morning light is tolerated, but protect the leaves from hot afternoon sun. Keep the root zone moist but well drained in organic soil. Hosta foliage usually looks best with steady moisture, not waterlogged ground. [North Carolina Extension's Hosta guide](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hosta/) describes the genus' shade, soil, seasonal, and dormant-season needs. ## Maintenance Remove spent foliage after it has gone dormant in late fall, and divide an established clump every few years if it outgrows its space. Check for slug damage in spring and avoid leaving wet, compacted soil around the crown. North Carolina Extension notes that all parts of hosta are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.